Table of Contents

Introduction: 'Who Is Your Favourite Philosopher?'1. Mary Margaret McCabe on Socrates and the Paradox of Inquiry2. Angie Hobbs on Plato on Erotic Love3. Terence Irwin on Aristotle's Ethics4. Anthony Kenny on Aquinas' Ethics5. Quentin Skinner on Machiavelli's The Prince6. Sarah Bakewell on Montaigne7. A. C. Grayling on Descartes' Cogito8. Susan James on Spinoza on the emotions9. John Dunn on Locke on Toleration10. John Campbell on Berkeley's Puzzle11. Peter Millican on Hume's Significance12. Nicholas Phillipson on Adam Smith on What Human Beings are Like13. Melissa Lane on Rousseau on Modern Society14. Richard Bourke on Edmund Burke on Politics15. A. W. Moore on Kant's Metaphysics16. Robert Stern on Hegel on Dialectic17. Richard Reeves on Mill on Liberty18. Clare Carlisle on Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling19. Aaron Ridley on Nietzsche on Art and Truth20. Peter Singer on Henry Sidgwick's Ethics21. Robert B. Talisse on the Pragmatists22. Barry C. Smith on Wittgenstein23. Hugh Mellor on Frank Ramsey on Truth24. Mary Warnock on Sartre's Existentialism25. Chandran Kukathas on Hayek26. Jonathan Wolff on John Rawls27. Robert Rowland Smith on Derrida on Forgiveness

About the Author

David Edmonds is an award-winning documentary maker for the BBC World Service. He is the author or co-author (with John Eidinow) of several books, including Wittgenstein's Poker (short-listed for the Guardian First Book Award), Bobby Fischer Goes To War (long-listed for the Samuel Johnson prize), and Rousseau's Dog (about the relationship between Jean-Jacques Rousseau and David Hume). He is currently a Research Associate at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at Oxford University and a Contributing Editor for Prospect Magazine. Nigel Warburton is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the Open University and author of several introductory philosophy books, including the bestselling Philosophy: The Basics and Philosophy: The Classics. His latest book is A Little History of Philosophy. He also regularly teaches courses on aesthetics at Tate Modern, and runs several weblogs including virtualphilosopher.com and artandallusion.com.

Reviews

`The interviewees are so articulate and the conversations are so interesting.'
GrrlScientist, the guardian
`Engaging and accessible ... Readers can enjoy each chapter individually or read the entire book for an understanding of major figures of Western philosophy. As was the first, this book is highly recommended for all general readers with an interest in philosophy.'
Scott Duimstra, Library Journal
`As a fan of the Philosophy Bites podcast, I'm very pleased to see this publication of conversations with leading scholars on major figures in the history of philosophy. The result is not only a good introduction to that history, but a rare chance to read top-level philosophers speaking extemporaneously about the subjects they know best. Even regular listeners to the podcast will be glad to have this written version of highlights from the series.'
Peter Adamson, King's College London